Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Update Aug 2020: "W" switch died after 2 1/2 years, I suspect "Q, E, R, A, S, D, F" are soon to follow based on the majority of my gaming. This is what I would call normal wear, no complaints here. "W" was the switch with the most strokes on it. Replacing the key was super easy, and they give you extra switched when you purchase the keyboard. Awesome! Total down time < 5 min. Still very satisfied after 2 & 1/2 years. Felt good enough about this keyboard to grab some new key caps & this thing really pops now. Matches my Glorious Model D 😍 Original Review: TL;DR: Buy this keyboard. If you are coming from another low/mid-end mechanical you will be very happy. If you are coming from membrane you will be ecstatic. If you are coming from a higher-end keyboard & don't pro-game this will fit the mold just find, you & your wallet will be happy. Initially I was hesitant to purchase this product with it's lack of reviews, but consider this is a relatively new product (introduced to amazon on Jan 2018) I looked to their other keyboard reviews and was pleasantly satisfied. That being said, if you are uncomfortable with the lack of review I suggest looking at the other products they make and then come back to read the (currently) 3 positive reviews on this keyboard. My review will be two parts, first the product as a stand alone item and second this product against similar items I own. Part 1 Pros: Price: only $40 keyboard I can find with red switches 87 key design: personal preference, but I like a full 16.5” of mouse space to play fps's Lights: it's real pretty, there are 18 different pre-set LED modes with 9 different LED color options. Software: If you want more lighting options download the free software. It's free, super easy to use (easier than the Corsair software IMO) and now my keyboard looks awesome The switches: only red's I can find at this price range. I am not good enough at typing or video games to be an expert of this but the activation point seems to be consistent. They all seem to activate at around 40% of the entire stroke. Peripherals: comes with extra switches, two key pullers, and an easy to follow quick start guide (explains the lighting modes) Build quality: Sturdy, no flex, replaceable switches Cable routing: there are three different channels to route the cable through Aesthetics: aside from the pretty lights, many people enjoy the floating key design. I find it easier to keep clean and looking nice Neutral: The switches (yes, again): While these are nice for $40, if you are coming from Cherry MX or the like you will notice a different. They are not as “snappy” for lack of a better work, but still leaps and bounds over membrane, obviously. Cons: Guided keys: the space bar & shift keys are both on the mushy side. Not a deal breaker, but def noticeable when compared to the other keys that operate with no little metal guide bar. Part 2 Tecware Phantom vs: -Red Dragon 87 key w/blue switches At roughly the same price (Tecware is $3 cheaper) I would recommend the Tecware simply due to the fact you can get it with red switches which I prefer. If you were comparing blues vs blues, it's a toss up that boils down to personal preference. The red dragon has a lot more reviews, but the initial quality of this Tecware product is very impressive. Buy whichever one you think looks cooler. UNLESS, you don't care about RGB. In that case get the Red Dragon because it cheaper without RGB. -Corsaire Strafe Keep in mind this is a $110 product to a $40 one... The Cherry MX switches in the corsaire are nice. If I didn't have the two side by side or had never touched Cherry MX I would have zero complaints about these OUTEM switches. The Corsaire has a few other features I won't really dive into it's not hard to compare specs. The biggest difference I notice is a more consistent key stroke on the Corsaire notable in the guided keys (space & shift). This can make a difference in gaming, but at the level I play it is not worth an extra $70. Bottom line I do not think my Strafe is $70 better than this Phantom. It is without a doubt nicer. -Drevo Gramr I love the size of this little keyboard, but the switches/keys were bad. Noticeably worse than this Phantom. It was about 1.5-2” shorter on the width which is nice, but I have a huge mouse pad and would rather have nicer switches than that extra space. If desk space is at a premium and an extra 1.5-2” is going to make a difference (insert phallic joke here) then go for the tiny Gramr. Otherwise this Phantom is better in every way for a few bucks less. If your wondering why I own(d) all these keyboard... Quick background, my first mechanical keyboard was the Red Dragon 87 key. I loved it, but the blue switches were annoying my wife. Also I felt a linear switch would be a (slight) advantage in fps's. In practice I'm not getting any high K/D with red switches and am no better a CSGO player, which is disappointing. But you can learn from my mistake, nice hardware won't make you suck less. Second keyboard is a friends used Corsair Strife, and I instantly fell in love with the red switches. After hitting my thumb on the 10-key pad a few hundred times I decided to go back to 87-key, but cannot justify spending over $50 on a keyboard when my highest rank is Gold in Overwatch. I tried the Drevo Gramr mostly for work where desk space is at a premium and the minimalist design seemed practical, but couldn't get over the switch quality and the lighting scheme which never worked for me. Now I have this Phantom & love it.